Chapter Eleven: Blood and Water

            We were walking outside, in the sun, and her story from before was still running through my head. There was more to her father’s story than the one she had told yet she had seen so much already in her short life. Even if you had never really seen anything of Camelot, you would have heard of him and his Knights of the Round Table. They were one story with individual ones yet they always linked together and were inseparable; though the times of the old knights were long finished, the stories of the new ones had only just started.

            Not really knowing how I knew that, it just seemed instinctive as it felt so right. ‘What was that about? With Alymere...?’ I asked hesitantly.

            She spent awhile still walking but eventually she answered me. ‘He was my father’s best friend and most loyal knight. He would do anything to keep my father and mother safe and that was his downfall. He died saving my father’s life, but that’s all I know. No one dare speak of him, as no one would talk of my mother.’ She fell silent again but I knew not to ask anymore; things like that were subjects that shouldn’t be opened unless it was necessary.

            ‘I see. Are you going to cry?’ I had a funny feeling that she might be close to tears.

            ‘No, I don’t cry. Not over that anyway; I’ve had too many years of doing that when I was much younger, now I’m stronger and older and I know that there are worse things out there to worry about than the past,’ she declared as she turned her stature to that of a proud, modest woman who knew what she wanted.

            I continued to follow her around the castle grounds until we reached the stables; only then did I notice that whenever Elara seemed to aimlessly wander about she would always somehow end up at the stables. As ever, she walked straight inside and went to see her horse; meanwhile, I followed suit and went to see Volareus. He was such a strange creature, this warhorse; he was so wild at heart yet whenever I came near, he seemed to calm down as though he was as tamed and broken as Rose opposite.

            ‘Hello, old friend,’ I spoke as I stroked his forehead. ‘I hope you’re rested well...’ It was rather odd to find myself talking to a horse; I knew they could not talk back even if they could understand us. Then again, Elara spoke so openly to Rose that it didn’t bother me how bizarre I seemed. Just then, Volareus jolted his head up and down and nudged me to the side. Patting his shoulder, I tried to calm him before he attempted bolting out of his stall; but he didn’t move again, he only seemed to be watching. ‘What is it, fellow?’ Then I decided to follow his gaze and he seemed to be looking straight at Elara; which gave me a brilliant idea as to why Volareus was so wild. ‘Ah, I think I understand. Elara,’ I called out to her. ‘Come over here, I think you need to give this one some attention.’

            She made her way over warily. ‘But he’s so uncontrollable.’

            ‘Yes, but you can control him if you just understood him. And he is your horse after all. Maybe if you rode him for awhile, and don’t be scared of him; try using your authority on him then maybe he will be more obedient to you. Trust me,’ I whispered to her and pushed her up close to Volareus’ head.

            She bit the inside of her lip as though thinking of what to do. Reaching out her hand slowly, she tried to touch her palm to the stallion’s nose but he pulled his head back wildly. I stood at the sidelines just in case. ‘Volareus, stop it!’ she shouted at the horse and he soon settled down and hung his head as he stopped throwing it in the air. ‘Now, will you let me ride you?’ she asked aloud. Just as Rose would have done, Volareus bobbed his head. ‘Good. Come on, I’ll tack you up.’ And she ran her fingers into his mane and led him out into the open space of the stable.

            Bit by bit, she slowly saddled Volareus up and only once did he retaliate when she tried buckling up the girth. Elara had suggested that I take Rose but I wasn’t sure what her plan was.

            ‘Erm, Elara, where exactly are we going?’

            She patted Volareus on the neck as she finished with his tack. ‘For a ride, of course. I’m sick of being stuck in here when there’s a whole open world outside the walls that I can gallop around on. Will you please come along?’ she asked with fluttering eyelashes.

            How could I resist? Though I was reluctant. ‘If I’m honest, I’m not sure this is a good idea. What if your father found out?’

            She rolled her eyes. ‘He won’t though, will he?’ she asked sternly to make me promise to not say anything.

            ‘Not if you take me along...’ spoke Tristan from the stable doors. ‘Elara, you know Arthur will be furious if he found out you had gone and without one of us with you.’

            She walked over with heavy footsteps, Volareus following close behind. ‘And you won’t say anything, will you, Tristan?’ She used that same stern tone with him.

            He turned his head slightly to the side and stared at her hard. ‘No, but like I said, only if you take me along.’

            I’m not sure what expression Elara now had on her face but I could tell from the air around her that she had one. ‘Elara, he’s right. Besides, what harm would it do to bring him with us?’ I asked rhetorically.

            By magic, I tacked Rose up much to the annoyance of Tristan by the looks of it. Jumping onto her back, I twitched her reins and got her to walk to where Elara stood; we waited for Tristan to join us.

            Once he had, we all headed off towards the western gates but just before we were about to leave and enter the town, Arthur called out from the stone steps that led up to the front oak doors of the fortress.

            ‘Elara? Where do you think you’re going?’

            She pulled Volareus around so she faced him; Tristan and I eyed each other carefully. ‘Out, father. Possibly to the forest,’ she explained and I saw how Arthur seemed to shiver at that. ‘Don’t worry, I have both Delrand and Tristan with me. I’ll be perfectly safe.’

            He looked sceptical but nonetheless let us go on our way. ‘Alright, but if you aren’t back by about sundown then I’m sending a search party to find you.’ And he strolled back inside.

            Elara didn’t complain, at least not out loud. I wish he would just leave me be.

            I opened up my mind to her. He’s only looking out for you. You must realise that he was so frantic when I told him you’d been taken; it’s been hardest on him out of all of us. He just loves you, Elara, I simply said. As I love you, we don’t want anything worse happen to you. I rode up next to her and reached over to put my hand on hers. We care about you.

            She then spoke out. ‘I know. It’s just... I’m old enough to look out for myself and I don’t need watching over all the time. But I do understand.’

            ‘Maybe he will back off again in time; just wait and see. Eh?’ And I winked which made her giggle.

            ‘I think maybe you were right about Volareus. He hasn’t attempted at throwing me off... yet. But we will see.’ And she squeezed her thighs and he cantered off. Tristan and I followed suit until we were all together again.

            As she had told her father, Elara led us off to the forest; which was fine by me as I had been getting a strange urge to be within its bosom again.

            We slowly made our way through the trees, talking about general things and Tristan and I trying hard not to ask her too many questions about her time with Mordred. We laughed and joked as Tristan told me a few stories of the knights’.

            ‘...and Galahad never believes us to this day,’ he finished one.

            Thinking of the knights, I wondered how old they were when they actually gained their titles, so I asked.

            ‘Oh, well, most of us were around fifteen I think. Bors is the oldest by about two years I believe and Elara is the youngest by two. She didn’t get offered into the circle until she was twelve but she had trained with since she could pick up a sword.’ He smiled proudly at her and at that moment I could truly see the bond that existed between these two that didn’t between Elara and the others. Blood was always thicker than water, as the saying went.

            Elara then suddenly jolted her head around and her eyes widened as though she had been shocked. ‘Did you hear that?’

            ‘Hear what?’ Tristan and I asked in unison.

            ‘There was a noise...’ she said faintly. ‘It came from over there.’ She pointed off towards her left.

            Tristan brought his steed up towards her. ‘I think it best that we don’t... follow... it,’ he mumbled as Elara began to trot Rose over to where she was pointing. ‘Elara...’ Tristan complained but he nevertheless kicked his horse into a slow canter as he went after her.

            Not quite sure what to make of the situation, I kicked into Rose’s sides and cantered off after the both of them. ‘Elara! This is not a good idea!’ I shouted out.

            ‘We’d best check it out. What if someone’s in trouble?’

            With that possibility being brought to light, Tristan and I continued on with her until we came to a clearing. As soon as we came out of the trees and into the glade, I instantly felt that something was amiss.

            ‘We should go...’

            ‘Ah!’ Elara screamed as Volareus bolted up and flung her clean out of her saddle. Once his hooves were on the ground, he turned and galloped back through the trees. I jumped out of my saddle to help her just as Rose too whinnied loudly and sprinted away. Tristan was then having trouble with his horse and he tried to get it back under control but it was no use; his steed did the same as Volareus had to Elara.

            He stood up off the ground rubbing his hip and shaking his leg. ‘What’s got into them do you think?’ he asked but I had no answer.

            There was a rustling in the bushes to our right somewhere. We all tensed up and Tristan soon unsheathed his sword. The same rustling then sounded from opposite where we had entered the clearing. I pulled Elara up off the ground and onto her feet; she was dazed from hitting her head.

            ‘I’ll be alright,’ she whispered to me as I checked her over.

            Tristan then began to back up towards us. ‘I think we should leave.’ He sliced his sword through the air in front of him but then it was ripped out of his hand to land point down in the earth.

            We then heard a shrill, light voice from where the first rustling had been heard. ‘You won’t be leaving any time soon.’ It was a female voice; a girl’s voice to be precise.

            ‘Show yourself!’ Tristan shouted.

            ‘Silence!’ the voice shouted back and he too was hurled into the air towards where his sword was; he hit the ground so hard that he was knocked unconscious. Elara tried to free herself from my hold but I kept her close and didn’t let her go.

            ‘He’s just knocked out,’ I whispered but she still shook as I held her.

            Delrand, what’s going on? Her voice was trembled with fear and I felt anger that she was made to be afraid again.

            I do not know, I confessed.

            ‘Do not fear me,’ spoke the girl’s voice again. ‘It is only I, Elara.’

            ‘Huh?’ Elara gasped and stepped forward out my arms. ‘I know your voice but I am not sure where from...’

            I decided to keep quiet except for speaking to Elara in her mind; I only hoped I could not be heard. Elara, be careful.

            I will, just stay by me. ‘Please come out, we mean you no harm.’

            There was a shrill chuckle that seeped into the air. ‘Harm me? It is I that mean you no harm, your highness.’

            Elara moved her head slightly before speaking again. ‘Who are you?’

            The rustling sounded again but this time it was more established. Then, out of the shadows, appeared a head then shoulders then the rest of the body; and when they entered the light it was easily noticeable that it was a young girl and not just any young girl.

            ‘Teyla?!’ Elara exclaimed, almost shouting. ‘What... what are you doing out here?’

            Teyla smiled wryly. ‘Surviving. Why are you so bothered now? You haven’t been in the past.’

            ‘That is not true. I went by to the bakers the other day to see how you were. I was worried when they told me you had left.’ It was strange for me to see her explain herself to this little girl, but then women were a mystery to me. ‘Besides, you’re safe and well and that’s what matters. You can come back with us.’

            Again, she gave that shrill giggle. ‘I am perfectly safe out here, nothing can harm me.’

            I don’t understand, she commented to me. ‘Teyla, I am sorry that it seemed like I didn’t care about you but please, come on.’ She tried stepping forward but Teyla swiftly raised her hand and propelled Elara backwards; similar to how Tristan had been. Luckily, I side-stepped and caught her.

            ‘Let me take care of this...’ I whispered to her. I gently sat her down and stepped forward myself; again Teyla tried her trick but I had already beaten her and put up my shield. ‘Your tricks won’t work on me, young one,’ I spoke to her directly. ‘I don’t care how young you are but no one attacks Elara and gets away with it, especially with me around,’ I sneered. I similarly raised my hand and knocked her backwards into a tree. She slumped down to the floor in a heap. I was about to strike a more severe blow but my hand was pulled down.

            ‘No! Delrand, don’t,’ Elara shouted at me. ‘She’s just a child.’

            I jerked my arm from her hands. ‘Elara! She’s a sorceress, just like you. And she attacked you.’

            ‘Out of anger. And we can’t just leave her here, alone.’

            We were held tight, without any warning. Our arms clutched tight to our sides. ‘Oh but she isn’t alone.’

            ‘And I should have known you’d be behind this, Mordred.’ Elara’s eyes sparked sapphire blue as she used her magic and freed us; that seemed like a simple trick to her now. ‘Get out of here, and take her with you.’ She turned her head away from where Mordred stepped out from the trees. He didn’t speak to us again; he picked Teyla up from the ground and slunk back into the shadows where he disappeared.

            Tristan was now back on his feet; unfortunately, the horses had been scared all the way back to Camelot and by the time we had walked out of the forest, there was already a search party on its way towards us. Clearly the arrival of our horses without us had caused some uproar within Arthur’s halls.

            Tristan ran ahead but we heard his voice from here. ‘It’s alright. We’re fine. We ran into some wolves that scared the horses,’ he explained. Elara and I looked at each other with small smiles; that was the story that we had come up with to tell Tristan. Any mention of a magic attack on Elara again and Arthur would surely not allow her outside the fortress walls at all and that wouldn’t help anything.

            As Elara trudged along, I could tell her temper had risen up again; pacing quicker, I took her hand. ‘Elara, please do not fret over it. This is exactly what Mordred had tried doing to you; catch you while you’re young. There isn’t anything you could have done.’

            ‘But she was so young. Maybe if I had taken the time to check on her; after all I was the one who put her with that family...’

            ‘No, Elara. There is nothing you could have done. You were busy focusing on helping yourself. It was out of your hands.’ She looked at me with upset in her eyes and I suddenly felt sorry for her; I leant over and kissed her cheek. ‘Mordred is evil and he won’t give up.’

            ‘That I know and so... I believe you.’

            Just then, the jangling of metal and the padding of horse’s hooves sounded to us and we looked up to see a few of the knights canter over.

            ‘At least you’re alright, your highness,’ Gawain commented. Elara didn’t seemed bothered by this title calling. ‘Would you like a ride back or to walk?’ He reached down his hand and winked at us.

            ‘And you never cease to annoy me, Gawain. But I’ll take that offer. Thanks.’ Elara hopped up onto Gawain’s steed and he trotted off with her.

            I noticed there was still a few mounted horses still nearby. Tristan was now mounted behind Galahad.

            Dagonet too was near at hand. ‘Here,’ he said, reaching down to me. ‘You need to get to Camelot somehow.’ He smiled and I thanked him as I took his hand and mounted up behind him.

            We were now back inside Camelot, specifically back in Elara’s room. She was stood on her balcony, pacing back and forth along it; I was leaning against the wall, by her bed, one arm around my chest and my other hand holding my chin. I knew she was troubled by what she had seen in the forest and I couldn’t be of any more council to her than I already had been. I was just about to walk over and hold her close when there was a knock at the door.

            Elara trod heavily over and opened it, only for Arthur to step in. Coming out of my corner, I showed myself so he knew I was there. ‘Do you wish to speak to Elara alone, your majesty?’ I asked, bowing my head.

            ‘No, it is fine that you are here. This is nothing personal.’

            ‘I’m sorry I worried you,’ Elara hastily spoke but Arthur waved his hand in the air.

            ‘There is nothing to worry about. What happened is not your fault.’ Elara hung her head. ‘I’ve come here to talk about something more important.’ I stood and watched, knowing that Arthur would silence me, or similar. ‘You know you mean a lot to me. You’re my daughter and my only child and so my only heir. It’s about time I showed you the favours I have in the past.’

            Elara looked over at me with a confused look but also tilted her head. ‘I don’t understand what you mean.’

            Arthur reached over to her and took her hand. ‘You are a princess, not a prince, yet I let you learn archery and train as a knight. I doubt any other princess of this land enjoys as much freedom as you. But just being a knight is not what you’re meant to be, not in the future anyway.’ Arthur then seemed to ponder on a though. I folded my arms and stood patiently; this was a moment between Elara and her father and I wasn’t about to disturb that.

            ‘Father, will you please tell me what this is about?’ Elara requested, seemingly impatient.

            ‘Am I making you feel uncomfortable?’

            Elara nodded. ‘Are you saying you wished I was a son...?’ And, knowing her as I did, I heard the shaking in her voice as though she were close to tears.

            Arthur turned to her and took both her hands. ‘Not at all. I am so proud of you. You’ve grown up to become a fine young woman, though... I have you to thank partly for that.’ And Arthur then turned to me, to which I bowed my head but still remained silent. ‘So... I am giving you a greater honour than just being my daughter. I’m making you my heir; officially I mean and I should have done that a long time ago.’

            Elara and I looked at Arthur with widened eyes of shock and hung our jaws loose.